The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-01-06
TWICE Welded.

Wash burn to-day, accompanied by
what seems like a presentlment of COM
ing evil"
is invited to the wedding. do you, Os-
| waldo" asked Constance Howard, with
| loving solicitude. He has been an in
innate friend for many years, and high
ly esteemed, while my rejection of his
offer of marriage does not appear to
have impaired our friendship in the
| least"
'You did quite right. my dear Con-
stance" said Oswald MARROW, affection
! ately. "Before 1 knew how matters
| stood between you and Ralph feared
| ne might prove a formidable rival; but
| he assured me, in his frank way, that
he would be no impeachment to my WOO
ing you. and bid me a friendly god
speed. could see that to one of his
deep ardent nature it could be no light
task to relinquish you"
Il wish YOU would remain in town TO-
night, Oswald. and not attempt that
| long ride home," said Constance anx-
iously. Anything you want you can
send for in The morning. Besides. do
not like to think of you having thai
| long. cold ride at night
Have no fears for me, my darling.
| neglected; and my good horse. RoIlin
will carry me over the twenty miles in
| two hours. Goo ! night, dear love
He held her i'll his arms with lin ger
| ing. yearning ErcsSure; then lift tac
| room. Constance watched ii.n from
the window as he mounted las b.r &
and rode sw fly OF through ihc gather
| ing dusk of tic short wint.r dGv
Six months before Constance Howard
had first met Os~ ali MARROW at small
evening party. and from the hour of
| their meeting she felt that she had en-
countercd the first man to whom her
heart had gone out in that sentiment
which Il, mands lifelong union with
the beloved object.
There WAS one. however, ut that party
whose insight had detected her secret
almost immediately, and that one was
| her former su;tOr. Ralph WaShburn,
who had accepted Miss Towards rr-jec-
ton OF has slit with quiet and Courteous
acguiesccn':'', but hau ne, er rciiEquisll-
| ed his discrimination 10 make her his
| wife. IL. Was simply biding his time.
Five minutes alter Oswald NARROW
| Disappeared trun view on tine afternoon
when our story "opens, r iph Wash burn
| glided from ii cIunp OF cvergreens that
grew close to the house he had been
| watching for the last hour.
SOL he exclaimed. as he gained the
road by a sde-path, MARROW goes
back tonight, and will not remain over
as / feared he might 1t was an evil
day for him when he first stepped in
between me and the girl love. To him
she has plighted her troth, but when
she stands up in her wedding-robes she
will be my bride, not his. heart i:
often most effeclualiy caught in the re
bound. But if my plot fails, and she
refuses to become my wife, will take
care that he shall never return to expose
my crime and regain his bride"
Half way on the road leading from
the town where Constance Howard
lived to that in which her lover resided
was the Owl Tavern, with a black
smiths shop adjoining. The LANDLORD
had an assistant, james Redfurth, al
understood man, with a sinister coun
tenance, who although. attending faith
fully to his duties, showed no DISPOSE
ton to cultivate the acquaintance Q
anyone, but waited upon his customer
with a persistent tactiturnity that ha'
won for him the sobriquet OF '-Grump
jim"
An hour after Oswald NARROW passe
the Owl Tavern on his way home tina
evening. Ralph Washburn drew up be
fore the door.
where's the landlord" he asked
entering the bar. and addressln
, Grumpy Jim." who was the only occr
pant
.'Went off two hours ago. in answe
to a telegram from -" said jim
naming town in an adjoining county
He is not likely to be home for
day or so, thenp"
:.Not until the day after tomorrow.
".And what do you say to earning
? hundred pounds while ne is awayP
continued Ralph.
! II don't say anything, until kno'
! more about it, was the sullen r
! ioinder.
'.Listen then: About nine o'clock Il
. morrow morning a man will stop hel
to have shoe put on his horse.
you will see that he takes drink wit
, this in it." producing tiny packag
} | .sI will give you a hundred pounds"
j what will be the effect of the dose?
T '.Simply to send him to the land {
!. | elysium for about forty-eight hours"
e .Forty-eight nours?" repeated jim
: with shake of his head. 1.-The mast
l, may be back before that time. It's tt
: risky"
: Ralph Washburn regarded Redfuri
e for moment in silence; then spcakIu
: in q low, tense tone, he said:
\ You will rua Il greater risk If "
= refuse. Silent as you are ia this yicinit
= there are times and places where "
,, can talk rs fas; as anybody and son
Il things YOU have said would not be;
. repeating without unpleasant cons
N quences to you. You can put him
II that little room next TO yours in Il
n north wing; and when he comes to h
d seuses. tell him al easy lie OF some sol
p and then lei linn g. don't propo
to do him any nar,n. and only wish
delay c,rtaIil operations of his fe
hours. Will you co it. or must gi
your memory another jog?"
ell do iIr' said jim, with dogg
Is sui lenness.
4 Very goosi;' and drawing out
y pocket-book Ralph produced a cris
new note. Here's twenty to bind I
bargain; and as soon as | know the j
d is done, you will get the rest"
u Ralph left the tavern. mounted
er horse, and dashed quickly out of sigl
1t was near midnight when Oswa
MARROW dismounlcd at his home, -havil
10 been actively engaged ever since pa
er ing with his beiro;hed in the early ps
OF The evening Leadin2 MS morse
20 the stable. he saw him comfortably pr
Oh vided for, and then repaired 70 t
house; and five minutes later a M
gliding from behind large Tree #
le yards away. approached the stall
HI door. Producing a dark lantern and
:. key. he unlocked the door and went
n He was there some time; then silent
ne emerging. hurried away with an {
e. preston of exultaSon on his dark. S
I'D lister face.
81
The hour appointed for the Weddi
bad arrived, and up in her room @
ed stance Howard stood. 3 vision of II
= loneliness. in her lustrous bridal 70
- with the pearls that had been
n lovers wedding gift, eBoircling
h neck aud arms and shining in her hs
which Tippled back fron hef iaiF hrs